Springfield scene includes Wisconsin governor, indicted pol

Lawmakers must grapple with costs of pensions, health care

Rep. Derrick Smith, D-Chicago, is greeted by Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, on Tuesday after he returned to the House chambers at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. Smith is facing federal bribery charges. (E. Jason Wambsgans, Chicago Tribune)

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers returned from spring break Tuesday to tackle the serious issues of an unresolved state budget and the rising costs of pensions and health care for the poor, but there were plenty of sideshows to distract them.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican facing a recall vote, criticized Illinois' state of affairs at a business forum only blocks from the Capitol as organized labor staged a rally telling him to go back home.

Democratic Rep. Derrick Smith caused a stir of his own as he returned to the Illinois House for the first time since he got slapped with a bribery charge.

And Bears legend Richard Dent capped an unusual confluence of events as he accepted accolades for making it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a ceremony culminating with dozens of House members lining up to get pictures with him.

While Walker and Dent stood in the spotlight, Smith found himself in a series of awkward moments. The federally indicted West Side lawmaker received numerous handshakes and hugs from colleagues as he entered the ornate House chambers, but not everyone was enthusiastic.

Rep. Jack Franks said Smith's appearance further tainted a Capitol that features two recent former governors now sitting in federal prison. "We need to reclaim the moral high ground," said Franks, D-Marengo.

Among those greeting Smith was Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, who later explained: "I just told him, God bless him. You know, he's got some challenging days ahead of him."

After the House adjourned, Smith was chased down three flights of winding stairs as reporters peppered him with questions. Smith repeatedly said "no comment" about the federal charge of accepting a $7,000 cash bribe, the House investigation that could lead to his expulsion and the calls for him to resign.

At the bottom of the staircase, under a ceiling painting of Abraham Lincoln, Smith headed for a seldom used door — until he realized that opening it would set off an emergency alarm.

During his appearance, Walker turned the home of Illinois state government into a campaign stop. He slammed Springfield Democrats for being billions of dollars behind in paying old bills despite last year's major income tax hike.

"Voters in our state want to know the difference between going forward and backward, and if you only look at the mess that you have in state government here in Springfield, you know what it would be like if the recall (is successful)," Walker said.

Walker, whose recall election is June 5, has drawn the national spotlight for championing legislation to limit collective bargaining by public employee unions. Walker said it is appropriate to take on union bosses in the Land of Lincoln because the 16th president himself was courageous.

A spokesman for the state's largest public worker union called Walker's comments ironic, saying Lincoln was pro-labor.

"Illinois workers want to make clear to Illinois politicians that that extreme agenda and that failed record is not only wrong for Wisconsin, but it's wrong for Illinois," said Anders Lindall, the spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.